Ran Danker - Babel

Ran Danker's bold new single speaks for itself but here are parts from an interview he gave earlier this week which provide a bit more context:

"This song was written a year ago, during the judicial overhaul. There was an internal urge of mine amidst all the anger and frustration to add to it and say 'What a fear, we're in a free fall and we don't see that we're losing our language with each other'. And then October 7 came and made it more tangible".

Listening to his song, I'm reminded of how I felt when I went to bed on October 6th, not fearing a security incident, but fearing how the Simchat Torah celebrations the next day would play out in Tel Aviv, after the clashes on Yom Kippur due to forced gender segregation in Dizengoff Square. I looked at the news before going to bed and there was a notification that the police had called up extra forces to be on guard in Tel Aviv, should things get out of hand...

"I think it's kind of a warning sign for all of us," Danker says of the song in the interview. "It's a place to say that we need to find a new language, that we're tired of the language of divisiveness and everything that leads us to not seeing each other because of people's cynical interests. We the people must find our new language because we have lost it. In this song, I talk about not wanting to leave this place. I want to make an effort and find another, creative way to another language".

The truth is, at this point in time I'm apprehensive of any calls for 'unity', especially when said in response to protests and criticism. There can't be real unity if we don't respect each other and our differences. It still feels like each group is fighting for their language to not get silenced, I'm not sure we're ready to create a new language, but we might not have a choice. 

I have to admit that while visually beautiful, the sight of people falling from the steps made me uncomfortable, but I guess that's the point. As Danker says, "I think the point is to look reality in the eyes and say 'the fall is already happening, we're already in it' and it could happen a second, third, fourth time, to infinity' I want to believe that it does make people think, to question, to wonder - why are we fighting for this place? In the name of what do we hate each other so much? The difference within us is enormous and that is the beauty. Even if we learn to live with each other here amid Israeli complexity, we need to understand that we are required to take action".

li.sten.to/randankerbabel

Even if here is where the path splits

Even if the tower we built is falling

Even if everything we planted is withering

Babel

We had a language

And unified things

There were words

For the simple things

After two thousand years

The value changed

If we stop we could ask

What was the intention

What was the intention when we said "Justice, Justice"

Why when we said "created in His image"

How else can we understand

You shall love

And you shall love fellow man

That is the whole Torah

Even if here is where the path splits

Even if the tower we built is falling

Even if everything we planted is withering

Babel

So what will be tomorrow

It depends on who you ask

If you ask me

It's not the time yet to pack up

Where do you look when the horizon blurs?

Babel

It's sad that the path has split

Everything we built is falling

If everything we grew is withering

Then what is the truth

Who do I ask

I keep getting confused

Do you want to leave or to stay

Where will I go

I don't have anywhere else

Say, don't you remember

You've already been an immigrant

The words are the same words

But what am I saying

What are you saying

What am I saying

Even if here is where the path splits

Even if the tower we built is falling

Even if everything we planted is withering

Babel

So what will be tomorrow

It depends on who you ask

If you ask me

It's not the time yet to pack up

Where do you look when the horizon blurs?

Babel

Babel

Even if here is where the path splits

Even if the tower we built is falling

Even if everything we planted is withering

Babel

It depends on who you ask

If you ask me

It's not the time yet to pack up

Where do you look when the horizon blurs?

Babel

Even if here is where the path splits

Even if the tower we built is falling

Even if everything we planted is withering

Babel

Thank you to forwards24 for the very helpful translation!

Zehu Ze and Leah Shabbat - Will always wait for you

Overwhelmed with joy to hear of the stunning rescue of four hostages abducted from the Nova festival: Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv. ♥♥♥♥

With all the happiness and excitement, 120 hostages are still held in Gaza. We can't forget them and we can't turn down a hostage deal that will bring all of them back.

Oh child, time passed

You went to search far away from here

And I'm waiting for you

Oh, my child in this world

A human bird like everyone else

Looking for the horizon

Every plane that flies in the sky

Every star lighting the eyes

Reminds me of you

Wagtails before the rain

Crickets in the evening

Will always wait for you

Oh, child, when it's quiet

I sit on the balcony to play

Tunes of longing

"Oh, child, please try

To arrive here quickly"

This is what I quietly ask

Every plane that flies in the sky

Every star lighting the eyes

Reminds me of you

Wagtails before the rain

Crickets in the evening

Will always wait for you

Lyrics from LyricTranslate

Yehuda Poliker - How is my love called

Yehuda Poliker released this song in 2001 during the Second Intifada and sadly the lyrics, written by Yaakov Gilad, have never felt more relevant with the tense situation in the North and the dire situation in the South. I came across this moving performance from a concert Poliker gave a few weeks ago, here is what he says at the beginning:

"We're going through a difficult time. It's not clear whether the war in Gaza is over or not. But what it means is that the hostages still aren't here and our heroic soldiers are still getting hurt over there. I call from here for the return of all the hostages, and immediately. And let's also hope that all the soldiers will return safely and that the situation will improve and be good. And that the new Middle East will really be new, and it will be fun to live here."

And it's a really beautiful world

And it's a new Middle East

And it's Jaffa Tel Aviv

It's just an uncalm week around us

And it's a very tiny bubble

And it's me and it's you

It's not gold, it's just shiny

And it's a bubble that will burst if you touch it

And this is our life lately

It could be better

A disaster could happen

Good evening despair and good night hope

Who's next in line and who's in the next line

And it's a rifle it's a camera

It's shot like a war

And it sounds like gunshots

And there's nothing like Jaffa at night

It's not the fire it's the match

It's not a pipe it's a painting

And it's you and it's me

It's too bad Sunday isn't Monday

And this is our life lately

It could be better

A disaster could happen

Good evening despair and good night hope

Who's next in line and who's in the next line

If a storm is the wind's song

What is the melody of hope

How is my love called

Your love

Good evening despair and good night hope

Who's next in line and who's in the next line

And it's Autumn and it's sad

And it's the house it's the cage

It's not the first cigarette

It's definitely not the last one

It's the thought machine

That I couldn't turn off

And it's me and it's you

It's the togetherness that was as if it wasn't

And this is our life lately

It could be better

A disaster could happen

Good evening despair and good night hope

Who's next in line and who's in the next line

If a storm is the wind's song

What is the melody of hope

How is my love called

Your love

Good evening despair and good night hope

Who's next in line and who's in the next line

Daniela Spector - Abraham

Earlier this week at the Memorial Eve ceremony at the city square I was struck by how different the atmosphere was from last year. Last year it was a moment to stop day-to-day life and acknowledge the heavy price of the soldiers who lost their lives, it was a sad night but I remember talking carelessly afterward with a friend, discussing our Independence Day plans and moving on. This year it felt that there was no day-to-day life to stop, it was more like a darker day among dark days, in which we heard the painful stories from our fellow city residents, our neighbors, who for them it was their first Memorial Day as bereaved family members in the inner circle of grief. I couldn't help but think of a line I read that somberly stated that in this region, the only difference between a bereaved family and one that isn't is time. It could happen to any of us. 

This year's Independence Day also had a very different vibe, with broadcasters airing a pre-recorded torch-lighting ceremony while showing images of the alternative torch-dousing ceremony happening in real time. It was painful to see the ceremony split into two but I understand why it was done. The organizers wrote in a statement "While the government is holding an ostentatious parade which is cowardly, contemptuous, disconnected and without an audience, families of the hostages and concerned citizens hold a dignified and appropriate ceremony that's plugged into the public sentiment". Daniela Spector was one of the singers at the event and when she performed this timeless song I felt a chill run down my spine, the lyrics echoing in my head ever since.

Abraham

Don't touch this child

He doesn't belong

Can't you see

There's no time

Don't go captive after

The pillar of smoke

An old story

Wake up

Forever

Look for the hidden path

To come back home

You fight

You work every day and try to get by

With what there is and the never-ending pain

You fight more

Abraham...

Eden Golan - Hurricane

When the 10th season of Rising Star started at the end of November I don't think anyone thought that we would still be at war by the Eurovision final and that there would still be 132 hostages in captivity, among them an unclear number of living hostages. And yet, here we are. We did know that we would still be coping with the aftermath of October 7th and the songwriters who wrote Hurricane for Eden Golan, the winner of Rising Star, knew that the Eurovision semi-final and final would be held during the reflective days of our memorial week which started last Sunday with Holocaust Memorial Day and will continue tomorrow evening with Yom HaZikaron, Israel's Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror. Yom HaZikaron will end on Monday evening with Independence Day celebrations, a shift that has always been difficult and understandably will be much more difficult this year, even with toned-down celebrations. There's already been a change in the air as we're getting ready for Memorial Day and 'Hurricane' manages to not only honor the the memory of those who have lost their lives but also capture the feelings of so many of us during this challenging year. It was clear throughout the season of Rising Star that Eden is a star performer and she gave a phenomenal performance at the semi-final. Eden, no matter what happens tonight you're already our winner, thank you for shining a light during the darkness.

Writer of my symphony

Play with me

Look into my eyes and see

People walk away but never say goodbye

Someone stole the moon tonight

Took my light 

Everything is black and white

Who's the fool who told you boys don't cry

Hours and hours, empowers

Life is no game but it's ours

While, the time goes wild

Everyday I'm losing my mind

Holding on in this mysterious ride

Dancing in the storm

I got nothing to hide

Take it all and leave the world behind

Baby promise me you'll hold me again

I'm still broken from this hurricane

This hurricane

Living in a fantasy, ecstasy

Everything is meant to be

We shall pass but love will never die

Hours and hours, empowers

Life is no game but it's ours

While, the time goes wild

Everyday I'm losing my mind

Holding on in this mysterious ride

Dancing in the storm

I got nothing to hide

Take it all and leave the world behind

Baby promise me you'll hold me again

I'm still broken from this hurricane

This hurricane

Don't need big words

Just prayers

Even if it's hard to see

You always leave one single light

Voters outside of Israel can vote for Eden, no.6, here.

Ninet Tayeb - Reborn

Ninet Tayeb wrote this chilling and beautiful song before October 7th and was asked to share it for the must-see documentary "Screams Before Silence". As she wrote in her Facebook post, "It was clear to me the song had found its purpose, music that is part of the tragic and unbearably difficult story of those women and girls who experienced the worst of all. Their story is the story of us all. On October 7th, it seems that the entire nation of Israel felt the need to be reborn".

When I'm scared of myself

I can't make a sound

And if I'm trying to talk

My head meets the ground

I'm laying right there

Chained and unarmed

No don't try to save me

I can handle fear

And if you try to save me

I would disappear

let it all be

I can handle fear

I wanna be reborn

I wanna be reborn

When it's getting darker

It's my time to shine

Like a star in the sky

Yours is just like mine

We're lying right there

Waiting for a sign

No don't try to save me

Because I can handle fear

Waterfalls around me

This time it's not my tears

let it all be

Now it's getting clear

I wanna be reborn

I wanna be reborn

ninettayeb.lnk.to/Reborn

Tuna - Between the city and the orchard

Tuna is back with a moving song that manages to capture the feelings of instability and uncertainty that we've all felt in one way or another in the past six months. Tuna being Tuna, he also offers much-needed comfort during this challenging time, which in many ways feels more difficult than the chaotic weeks right after October 7th. I posted a while back Tuna's mega-hit 'This Too Shall Pass' and recently discovered that it's one of the songs on a playlist created by Carmel Gat's friends, of songs that she loved and would share with them. Carmel, an occupational therapist, was taken hostage on October 7th from her parents' house in Kibbutz Be'eri and had recently returned to Israel after a few months in India. It was reported from hostages released in November that Carmel was held captive together with children and would practice yoga with them. I can only hope that in the long months that have passed she has been able to somehow take care of herself, mentally and physically. Like DJ JuVi says at the end of the song, the East is wilder than ever but we're pushing through, continuing with all our strength because there is really no other choice.

The IDF entered Gaza, so I went to my dad's for a while

On the background of chakalaka, paka paka, Mada, Zaka

A contract is over, which is a sign that we'll end the saga

And I don't have a roof, which is a sign that I probably have no ground

And I don't have any motivation, and I'm also not in the mood

As if it wasn't tense enough, we got into another argument

So there is no one place right now, there is no safe place

Feeling disappointed by the world, it feels like there is no supervision

Feeling disappointed by the world, I rated the hospitality

What was so urgent for them to bite the apple?

Who likes changes anyway? Not me

Winter is coming, I'm wandering, a gypsy

A homeless superstar, a vegetarian carnivore

From home to the parents and from there to an Airbnb

Between the city and the orchard, on roads under fire

Where will the wind blow? It's still impossible to guess

The future is still unclear so this rap is dedicated

To anyone like me who is searching

To anyone who needs a new route

And is stuck in Beirut because of the Waze disruptions 

All that's left is to embrace

What's been left behind

Between the city and the orchard

I'm looking for a place again

A place I am happy to return to

And just as I'm relaxed on the mic

Between us, I'm still trying really hard

It hurt too much to see, a home here is just walls

Huge shows, there was a place to escape to

Only when everything stopped did I process what I'd been through

Slowly I became someone I didn't know

I disappeared into myself so it wouldn't hurt you
So it wouldn't hurt me, yes, that's very romantic

My heart is broken but the time has come for me to choose me

The house is empty now like Salame is empty of the Barby

Home, home, home, I have a home in my heart

I didn't have it, I didn't know it was possible, it's natural

I didn't know I deserved a place even without it

That I would have to save everyone around me

What is home, home, home? Not walls, not pots

Not familiar smells, not the northern or the southern landscape

It's just where it feels good to be me

And fences don't suddenly break down just like that

And I won't be one nor will I find one

If I won't be my own home

All that's left is to embrace

What's been left behind

Between the city and the orchard

I'm looking for a place again

A place I am happy to return to

JuVi here,

The East is wilder than ever

We're continuing with all our strength

Never stopping

Still on the horse

Niro, Yakir, you did it again

A new Tuna album is on the way...

tuna.lnk.to/Pardes